Program areas at CI
Vocational rehabilitation and employment services:ci employment services (cies) assists people with disabilities or other barriers as they find meaningful employment in our local community. Job seekers can utilize their unique skills in positions suited to their abilities while local businesses benefit from hiring valuable, quality employees. Cies staff are experts in assisting people with gaining employment, assessing their challenges and identifying how to best promote their wide range of skills to employers. We help job seekers with disabilities and other barriers obtain and maintain employment through: job placement at a competitive wage business, job search and skills training, job development and job carving, career counseling and resume building, personalized job coaching and assessment services. In fiscal year 2023, cies helped 63 individuals enhance their vocational prospects though personal development or supporting them in their current jobs, and helped 23 persons attain new jobs in the community.
Community center:ci community center is a safe, creative, and supervised place for adults with disabilities to find social connection, life enrichment, and community integration. The center acts as a bridge for individuals with disabilities to connect with their community, not just watch from the sidelines. Clients can participate in educational/life skills classes, exercise activities, arts and crafts, and a variety of other engaging activities. In addition to the activities in the center, Columbia Industries provides safe transportation and assistance for outings and activities in our local area. In fiscal year 2023, the community center provided over 464 in person activities as well as over 104 community outings.
On-site employment training:columbia Industries' clients provide janitorial services and ground maintenance to the richland federal building and make cloth welding hoods for the u.s. navy. Columbia Industries envisions a world where every person with significant disabilities can achieve their maximum employment potential. Through these programs, people with disabilities acquire skills and training, receive wages and benefits, and gain greater independence and quality of life. Columbia Industries has been providing services to the richland federal building for over 25 years. Clients clean 306,614 square feet of space inside the building. Outside they maintain over 40,000 square feet of lawn and landscaping. In addition, ci clients are responsible for litter and snow removal for 365,000 square feet of parking lot space. Ci solutions produces an average of 82,500 cloth welding hoods to the bremerton shipyard. Columbia Industries is proud to provide these products and services to the united states government.
Housing - staff assist clients through the foundational community supports - supportive housing program. Clients must qualify for the program to participate. Through the program, clients receive support in finding, securing, and maintaining their housing. Through grants and donations, staff can also help walk-in clients who do not qualify for the fcs program with housing needs such as rental assistance, finding housing and related resources.